


in your warmth I forget how cold it can be

by dykeannebonny



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Porn with Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:20:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22053931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dykeannebonny/pseuds/dykeannebonny
Summary: “Are you going to kiss me, Garazeb Orrelios?” Alex’s lips were parted; he inhaled deeply through his mouth.“I’m thinkin’ about it,” Zeb said quietly.
Relationships: Alexsandr Kallus/Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios
Comments: 40
Kudos: 406





	in your warmth I forget how cold it can be

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I'm a simple person--I see Alexsandr Kallus, I think, "he needs to be fucked really well." 
> 
> I rewatched Rebels recently and decided since I write fanfic now--and spicy fanfic at that--I needed some spicy Rebels fanfic in my life.
> 
> Enjoy!

Yavin IV was not a cold moon by any standards; certainly not by Zeb’s, whose mind strayed to Bahryn any moment someone--usually Ezra--complained about the jungle at night. Zeb welcomed that cool mist of the morning, the welcome reprieve to some of the strangling humidity. Occasionally before longer missions, Zeb would return to the Ghost just to reacclimate to its crisp, metallic air. Even though he spent more time in space than on the ground, Yavin had worked its way into his lungs.

Zeb thought of Kallus, of his smile every time the Ghost touched down on the landing pad, and rubbed his chest. Maybe it wasn’t Yavin after all.

Shaking himself, Zeb boarded the Ghost, dropped a small crate of provisions in the cargo bay, and made his way to his room. He hadn’t been on the Ghost in almost a week. Ezra, of course, had used that as an opportunity to take over their quarters almost entirely. New posters lined the walls, droid parts and trophies form Imperials littered the floor, and crumpled clothes covered Zeb’s bunk. Zeb just sighed and pushed everything into an unsightly pile in the corner for Ezra to deal with later.

He was admiring a new poster Sabine had completed for the Alliance when he heard his door open. His ears flicked toward the sound, but he didn’t turn around.

“I had a feeling I would find you here.”

Warmth flowed through Zeb, reaching even his fingertips. He stretched his hand and inhaled evenly before facing the entrance.

Kallus stood in the doorway, arms tucked behind the small of his back and blocking some of the light Zeb had been letting into the room. His shadow wavered when he leaned against the doorframe. 

“How did you even get in here? There’s no way Hera gave you the access codes.” Zeb almost smacked himself in the forehead after speaking. Instead, he half-shrugged, looked down, and waved his hand through the air aimlessly, continuing, “Not that I’m not happy to--well, it’s fine that you’re here. Uh. Good to see you.”

Kallus ignored Zeb’s fumbling and answered, voice even, “You left the cargo bay open.”

Zeb wanted to argue he had been too distracted by Kallus’ smile to lock up properly, but then Kallus smiled in real time, and Zeb found himself at a loss for words. He eyes traced Kallus’ outline. His Alliance uniform was less imposing, less sharp than his Imperial clothes, but he still cut an impressive figure. Leaning the way he was in the door, someone could almost mistake Kallus for a civilian if they didn’t know him. But Zeb knew him--saw the straight line of his shoulders, the strong set of his jaw, the way he favored his left leg to avoid putting weight on his injured knee.

“I have something for you.” Whatever it was glowed a muted yellow between his hands.

Crossing the room to reach Kallus, Zeb tried to ignore the tightness in his chest as the object became clearer. The meteorite was no longer warm, but it cast a soft light still, enough to illuminate the space between Zeb and Kallus. 

“You kept it.”

“Of course.” Kallus said it like it was the simplest thing in the galaxy.

Zeb scratched the back of his neck, looking down. “Heh. Right.” A moment passed before he realized he was clutching the meteorite to his chest. He wasn’t even sure when he’d taken it. He uncurled his fingers and chuckled nervously as he held it back out to Kallus.

Kallus shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No, no.” He covered Zeb’s hand--surely just to push the rock back to him, Zeb thought. “I’m trusting you to bring it back in one piece.” With a smirk, he added, “If you can manage.”

Zeb clicked his tongue. “I’m not sure you appreciate how hard it is to completely divert from every plan we’ve ever come up with each time we get a mission. Top military analysts can’t even predict our outcomes.” His shoulders bounced as he tried to hold back his laughter.

Kallus shook his head, mouth half-open, tongue sticking between his teeth. “Truly, I don’t know how you do it.”

Zeb felt Kallus’ breath on his neck. Even though he had actually held Kallus in his arms on Bahryn, Zeb felt this was the closest they had ever been.

“Kallus--”

Kallus made a noise in the back of his throat. “Alex, please, or--”

“Alexsandr. I know.” All at once Zeb felt a giddy lightness in his chest as well as a weight low in his stomach, a contradiction so absurd he wanted to laugh. Instead, he used his free hand to reach for Kallus--Alex’s--face. Zeb took Alex’s chin between his thumb and forefinger.

“Are you going to kiss me, Garazeb Orrelios?” Alex’s lips were parted; he inhaled deeply through his mouth.

“I’m thinkin’ about it,” Zeb said quietly.

Alex rolled his eyes and started to reply, but he never got a chance; Zeb kissed him, gently, but without trepidation. The sound Alex made was soft, tucked somewhere between a laugh and a sigh of relief, and he turned his head to the side, kissing Zeb with equal confidence. It wasn’t a particularly long kiss, and when Zeb pulled away, he kept his eyes closed just to make the moment last longer. He dropped his hands to his side. Alex placed the meteorite gently on a shelf. He touched Zeb’s face.

Zeb opened his eyes as he turned his face into Alex’s palm. A jolt ricocheted through his chest as Alex’s gaze met, and held, his. Alex moved his thumb across Zeb’s lips. “I think,” he murmured, “if you had kissed me on Bahryn, that I would have gone on the Ghost with you.”

“And to think I spent all that time saving your life instead.”

“I seem to recall that _I_ was the one who saved your life.”

“Shut up,” Zeb growled fondly before kissing Alex again. This time, he did his best to leave Alex breathless, wrapping him in a tight embrace and kissing him like he intended to consume him. He bit his lips and soothed the spots with his tongue, tasting salt and fresh Meiloorun.

Alex fumbled blindly for the door controls--almost destroying the locking mechanism as he punched it closed--before returning Zeb’s passion in kind, his leg slotting between Zeb’s thighs and his fingers scrabbling to undo the zipper on Zeb’s combat suit. His body thrummed with desire; Zeb could feel it, they were pressed so close. Ears pressed flat and brow furrowed, Zeb kissed Alex harder, tacitly asking for him to be even closer.

Zeb’s shoulders hit the side of the top bunk before he even realized they had moved. He grunted, and Alex pulled away.

Nervous energy burned in Zeb’s chest. In some ways he was still waiting for Alex to walk away, and to take with him a part of Zeb that Zeb never expected to recover.

“I’m not going anywhere, Zeb,” Alex said softly. “So stop looking at me like that.”

Zeb huffed a laugh. “How d’you want me to look at you, then?” He smoothed his hands over Alex’s chest and bit his lip.

“Like you want me.”

“That,” Zeb promised, eyes half-lidded and voice low while he trailed his fingers along Kallus’ stomach, “I can do.”

Zeb dragged Alex into his bed. Alex had unzipped Zeb’s suit, but hadn’t gotten much further with it--which Zeb accepted full responsibility for. Zeb snorted when they both went for the neck of the suit. With his back against the mattress and Alex straddling him, Zeb was more exposed than he had ever been. His hand covering Alex’s, Zeb pulled his suit down to his hips. He bared his neck to Alex. Alex kissed his throat gently, trailing his tongue along his pulsepoint before nipping at Zeb’s jaw. Zeb shivered.

Alex flattened his hands against Zeb’s shoulders and then drew them down his chest, pausing sometimes to trace scars or muscles that caught his attention. When his hands reached Zeb’s hips, he kept his exploration above the suit, and pressed down leisurely on Zeb’s erection. Zeb grunted.

Tucking his knees to his chest, Zeb took matters into his own hands and pushed the suit the rest of the way off, even kicking it into Alex’s face for good measure. Alex pursed his lips. Zeb shrugged. “You were taking too long.”

Zeb was getting harder with each passing second. And Alex was still fully clothed.

Zeb reached for Alex’s jacket, but Alex leaned back and took it off himself, slowly, grinding his hips down against Zeb while he did so. Zeb made a half-strangled noise as his cock rubbed against the material on the inside of Alex’s thigh. He hooked his fingers under Alex’s waistband. “If you don’t take those off soon, I’m going to rip them off of you.”

“Though I would not mind that,” Alex conceded, “I unfortunately need them intact.” He shoved Zeb’s hands deeper, until Zeb was palming his cock. Alex hummed appreciatively and leaned into the touch. Zeb inhaled sharply.

Alex used Zeb’s shoulders as an anchor as Zeb pulled the last layers separating them off of Alex’s body, taking his time to slide his hands along his waist, his hips, the curve of his ass. The sounds Alex made when Zeb touched him were mesmerizing, and left Zeb lightheaded as he considered ways to elicit more of them. Their cocks slid together between them, Zeb fully hard and Alex well on his way, and they rutted haphazardly against each other, desperate for the feeling, leaning into the mounting heat and pressure.

Zeb lifted himself onto his elbow so he could kiss Alex again. It was messy--spit-slick, teeth and tongues clashing, panted breaths passing between mouths--and matched their clumsy thrusting. The urgency with which they wanted one another was more intoxicating than spicebrew.

Abruptly, Zeb found himself pressed flat to the mattress again. Alex climbed further up his body; and, all at once, Zeb understood his intentions. His pulse jumped like a rapid-fire turret.

“I want--”

Zeb’s mouth went dry. “I know.”

Alex dug into his jacket pocket before finally throwing it fully off the bunk. Zeb couldn’t see what he was holding, but then something slick and warm was dripping over his cock, and Alex took him in hand, and Zeb wanted to fall into that heat and never reemerge. His toes curled as Alex’s hand sped; Zeb reached for Alex’s legs, pulling him into position and swallowing around a groan. His hands holding Alex’s straining thighs, Zeb gripped hard and spread Alex’s legs wide. He watched in awe, blood hot as the deserts of Tatooine, as his cock pressed into Alex. Alex hissed.

“Not all at once,” he breathed. He steadied himself with a hand on Zeb’s stomach, and Zeb kept his hands beneath Alex’s thighs, holding him in place.

“Can’t handle me, Captain?” Zeb purred, just to get a rise out of Alex. Alex scoffed, but the sound became a moan as Zeb rolled his hips, working Alex open some more.

When he could speak again, Alex groaned, “You are insufferable.” As payback for Zeb’s comment, Alex bore down on what length of Zeb’s cock he’d been able to take so far. Zeb inhaled like he’d been punched in the gut. He wasn’t even half in and was already overwhelmed. Alex was tight and knew how to move; Zeb was already ruined.

“I’m not in a hurry,” Zeb murmured, giving Alex’s thighs a gentle, reassuring squeeze. He blushed before continuing, “I just want to enjoy you.” Zeb felt like a fool as soon as he’d said it, and looked pointedly at the wall.

Alex tapped Zeb’s abdomen to bring his gaze back to him. “I have been… thinking of this for some time,” he confessed, causing Zeb’s eyebrows to raise in surprise. “And I certainly anticipated this being a… a notably _large_ undertaking.” He emphasized his point by squeezing his thighs around Zeb, and Zeb would have laughed if he wasn’t so focused on not coming. As it was, he dug his fingernails into Alex’s skin, every muscle in his body alternating between tensing and shaking. “My point _is_ \--I would like to enjoy you, as well.”

Alex stretched and yielded noisily, offering steady noises of encouragement or warning. More than once, Zeb found himself biting back a whimper; the gradual shift of his cock into Alex’s tight, wet body had him edging dangerously close to climax. Both of them were breathing heavily by the time Zeb’s cock was entirely buried inside of Alex. Zeb had to cover his face in his hands, too overwhelmed to think of any other course of action, as Alex slowly began riding him, testing a pace, and finding a rhythm.

Zeb was almost immobile, content just watching the blush high on Alex’s cheeks, and the strands of hair falling into his face, and the sweat slicking his neck and chest.

“The goal is to _move_ ,” Alex reminded Zeb--but the force of the comment was lost as Zeb growled, the sound emerging from low in his chest, and used both of his hands to grip Alex’s ass and hold him steady. Zeb raised himself to as much of a sitting position as the bunk allowed, pulling Alex with him.

Alex wrapped his arms around Zeb’s neck, and Zeb leaned in to bite at his ear and jaw. “Fuck me like you mean it,” he begged. Alex heaved a breathless sigh and reached for Zeb’s shoulders. Zeb thrust up into him fervidly, squeezing in time with each movement. Alex writhed on top of Zeb, jaw going slack. He let loose a litany of curses, some in languages Zeb couldn’t even identify, before releasing a shaky, “ _Oh_.”

Then, smiling wickedly, Alex tensed around Zeb, rolled his hips, and doubled his efforts, sliding nearly all the way off of Zeb before taking him completely back in. Zeb gripped the edge of the bunk above him and tried not to scream. But he let out a cry as he came, and grew only louder still as Alex continued to ride him through the orgasm.

Alex’s hands left Zeb’s shoulders to scratch at his back, digging in for purchase wherever he could. He pressed his temple to Zeb’s; gasping open-mouthed, Alex tried to kiss Zeb but could barely maintain it. When Alex began moaning quickly, repeatedly, in-between thrusts, Zeb knew he was nearing his end, too.

Zeb barely had to wrap his hand around Alex’s cock before Alex was coming, burying his head against Zeb’s chest as waves of pleasure enveloped him. Zeb felt each one in his own body.

“Come here,” Zeb urged. He turned them so he could press Alex into the mattress--pulling out of him as he did so--and kissed him hard. Alex returned it eagerly.

When they broke apart, Zeb chuckled.

“What?” Alex pushed Zeb’s shoulder good-naturedly. 

"I was just thinking, if you had told me you could do that back on Bahryn, I would have joined the Empire on the spot."

Alex let out a quick bark of laughter that slowly became a fit, which Zeb swiftly joined. They continued laughing as they curled into one another, Alex's head tucked neatly against Zeb's chest and under his chin.

They stayed like that in silence for a while, simply breathing each other in. Eventually, Alex retrieved a towel for the both of them, and then a blanket.

Zeb opened his arms as Alex climbed back into the bunk. He closed them around Alex’s body and pressed his own chest to Alex’s back, humming contentedly. “You’ll stay?”

Alex snuggled closer to Zeb. “Of course. The whole night, if you’ll have me.”

“I think I just did.”

Alex snorted and pressed his lips together in a bemused smirk. “Be quiet, and let me sleep.”

Zeb conceded happily. His body ached pleasantly, heavy and loose and warm. Alex’s steady breathing was white noise to Zeb, drowning out the Ghost’s groaning and the Rebel ships docking and departing. One persistent beep, however, kept cutting through the peace, and Zeb’s ears flicked toward it even though his focus was elsewhere.

“You know, you do _actually_ have to get some sleep, since you have a _mission_ tomorrow.” Alex’s voice was muffled by Zeb’s fur.

“It’s just the ship.”

“Mm.” Alex turned in Zeb’s arms until his face was pressed against Zeb’s collar. Zeb grinned, almost giddy with delight to hold him so close.

The beep grew louder, more persistent. Zeb growled.

Alex yawned and pressed a single, soothing kiss to Zeb’s neck. “Just ignore it. It’s louder sleeping on base.”

“I’m trying, it’s just--well, it sounds an awful lot like--” Zeb scrambled out of his bunk so suddenly he nearly sent Alex crashing to the floor.

Alex recovered with all the dignity Zeb expected of him; sliding his shoulders up the side of the bunk, he crossed his arms, rolled his neck, and exhaled tiredly through his nose. His eyes were still closed as he scraped his hands down his face. “What. Could _possibly_ \--”

Zeb sent him a pointed glare. “It’s Chopper.”

Zeb’s clothes were much easier to gather than Alex’s, and he was dressed and jamming the door before Alex was even half-covered. It was a pity to lose that part of the view, though. Zeb was about to say as much when he heard from the hall, “--can’t really blame her, Chopp, since your diagnostics last time were--ow!”

“Oh, good, Ezra as well,” came Alex’s voice from behind Zeb.

Another voice, long-suffering but fond, sounded from outside Zeb’s dor. “Behave, you two!”

Zeb sighed. “And Hera.”

“ _Karabast._ ”

Eyes wide, Zeb turned, his stomach lurching. Alex was muttering to himself as he pulled his jacket on, completely oblivious to Zeb’s attention and, Zeb realized, what he had said. When he finished zipping up his jacket, Alex threw his hands in the air and looked around.

“What next?”

Chopper slammed into the door. He let out a series of frustrated beeps and whirrs when the door remained closed.

Ezra knocked impatiently. “Zeb? Are you in there? Open the door, sleemo; I need something for training.”

“I’m trying to sleep!”

“Why,” Ezra slammed the exterior control pad, “did you,” and again, “jam the door?”

“So little womprats like _you_ would leave me alone!”

“Chopper’s going to open the door anyway so you might as well get up and help us.”

“Chopper, I will rip the dome off your rusty body and use it for target practice!”

Alex came to Zeb’s side. He slid his hand across Zeb’s shoulder, leaning into his space, and whispered, “They are your family, Zeb.”

“And?” Zeb puffed out his cheeks. 

“ _And_ .” Alex kissed the corner of Zeb’s mouth. “That means the less secrets, the better. _If_ that is what you want."

Zeb threaded his fingers in Alex’s hair, marveling at the way the light danced in his eyes. Their mouths met in a lingering kiss, one Zeb felt even after it was over and he was opening the door to his quarters.

Zeb expected Ezra and Chopper at his door, Hera in the cockpit. But when he and Alex faced the hall, all three of them were there--along with Sabine and Kanan. If not for Alex’s hand on his back, Zeb would have turned right back around.

The silence stretched until Kanan requested someone tell him what was going on. Sabine smiled wryly as Hera explained, “Well, Zeb and Captain Kallus stopped dancing around each other.”

“Nobody was _dancing_.” Zeb sneered, all too aware of the blush high on his cheeks.

Kanan smiled. “Good news. Captain Kallus, expect everyone to give you some variation of a ‘don’t break his heart’ speech when we get back. Everyone, let’s just focus on getting the Ghost ready for now.”

“You would think for a crew so clearly prepared, less missions would go awry.” Alex crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips.

“You’d think for a crew with regular habits, they wouldn’t break them the one time it’s inconvenient,” Zeb corrected.

Laughing, Hera pointed in the general direction of the cargo hold. “The plan changed. We were asked to offload these supplies tonight--another crew got back early. They’re taking them for us so we don’t have to make that extra stop on the way out. I thought that was the best thing to happen tonight, but I’m really, really living for the look on your face right now.”

Zeb frowned. “Thanks, Hera.” He looked at Alex, who was having an odd staring match with Ezra, and said, “We’ll be on our way.”

“You’re really going to get speeches, you know,” Zeb warned when they were out of earshot. Alex laughed brightly.

“I would not expect anything less.”

Zeb took the ladder down first and watched--stomach flipping pleasantly--as Alex descended. Their arms brushed as Zeb walked Alex back out to the base, Sabine and Ezra following with the cargo they were offloading. They stopped when they reached the edge of the ramp.

“Don’t,” Zeb grumbled, but Alex was already craning his neck to kiss Zeb’s cheek. Sabine wolf-whistled from the cargo access bay while Ezra feigned like he was vomiting.

“Hasn’t he smelled you?” Ezra called.

“Shut up!” Zeb glared.

“Among other things,” Alex added simultaneously, just for Zeb’s ears.

Not to be outdone, Zeb chuckled and added, “We’ll have to try some more of those things when I get back.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

Despite Ezra’s loud and continuous complaints that he needed Zeb’s help with the cargo, Zeb watched Alex until he was inside the base. By then, Ezra had come to wait by his side.

“You seem happy.” It was a remark devoid of sarcasm or humor; it was simply a fact, one that Ezra wanted to make clear he understood.

Zeb unfolded his arms and looked down at Ezra.

“I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I owe my life to Jas for the incredible editing work. She recently wrote me a really fluffy piece to heal my heart after the... uh, the movie that was TROS. You can find it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21928933
> 
> You can find me on Twitter @dykeoftomorrow , or Tumblr @ithappensoffstage.
> 
> OKAY Y'ALL I AM SCREAMING BECAUSE THE INCREDIBLE @elleTchi MADE THIS INTO A COMIC!! I've added the comic to the text!!


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